


The Story Of Katherine

by GalaxyTrees



Category: Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Kinda, Minor Character Death, No Relationship, Slice of Life, You could read it as Newsbians, its kinda open for interpretation, life story, literally everything I write is either 1k or like 3k, or Jatherine, or if it has multiple chapters it’s probably over 10k words
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-05
Updated: 2018-12-05
Packaged: 2019-09-12 09:17:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16870264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GalaxyTrees/pseuds/GalaxyTrees
Summary: The Story Of Katherine Ella Plumber





	The Story Of Katherine

At 7 years old Katherine was, what could be described as, a spitfire. With flaming red hair and a personality to match it seemed that she was destined for great things. Already excelling in her schoolwork her parents and teachers moved her up a grade. Things were fine. But, her mother couldn’t help but notice that she was...alone.   
During the parent teacher conferences Elizabeth Pulitzer would receive concerning comments about how her daughter excelled at everything; except making friends.   
“What do you want me to do? Tell her to stop doing her school work?” Joseph, Elizabeth’s husband and Katherine’s father, asked when she voiced her concern.   
“Of course not! I just- I don’t know. I feel as though she should be more social.”   
Joseph puts down his newspaper and takes his wife’s hand gently.   
“Come now, darling. Katherine is one of the brightest children her age. You know as well as I do, that she is going to go on to do something great.”  
Elizabeth agrees with her husband and let’s the subject matter drop. 

At 10 Katherine experienced her first heartbreak. 5th grade was a difficult year for Katherine in the social aspect. It didn’t start out that way though. Rosemary Yennel was her best friend in the world. They were basically two peas in a pod. That is, until a “popular” seventh grader asked Rosemary if she wanted to go to the mall with them.   
“Go ahead!” Katherine exclaimed when Rose told her.   
“But we were going to hang out today,” Rose told her, not knowing what to do.   
“We can always hang out some other time, Rose. Go have fun with the popular kids!”  
Rosemary had just nodded her head. Katherine thought it was fine. And then it wasn’t.   
Rose hadn’t been sitting with her at lunch anymore. Or playing on the playground. Or even associating with her anymore. A few weeks with the popular kids and Rosemary was changed for the worse.   
“Rosie?” Katherine asked one day. She had walked up to the table to try and talk to her friend.   
The girl who had been talking stopped and glared at Katherine. She had black hair and was wearing the most obnoxiously bright yellow Katherine had ever seen in her life.   
“Rose,” the girl said turning to Rosemary. “Do you know this girl?”  
Katherine waited for Rosemary to say something, but the blonde was silent. She looked between Katherine and the black haired girl.   
“No. I don’t know her.” She said at last.   
Katherine gasped and stood frozen. We’ve been best friends since 3rd grade! She wanted to yell. But her mouth wasn’t working. She couldn’t say anything.   
“You heard Rose. She said she doesn’t know you. Now beat it!”   
Holding back tears Katherine throws away her lunch and runs to the library, hoping to cry in peace.   
But when she got there, she wasn’t alone. A short boy with black hair was standing in the back corner, the fantasy section, the place Katherine came to be alone.   
“Woah, are you okay?” He asked.   
Katherine just shook her head and slid down the wall. The boy runs up to Katherine and sits in front of her.   
“What happened?” He asked.   
“My- my friend said she didn’t know me. In front of the seventh graders.”   
The boy gasped and mutters something under his breath.   
“I’m sorry.” They like that for a while.   
Before the black haired boy pulled away and said; ”I'm Spot, by the way.”   
“Spot? That’s an odd name.”   
“It’s only a nickname. You’re Katherine right?”  
“Uh. Yeah. How’d you know that?”   
“Your picture is on one of the bulletin boards. All the teachers love your writing.”   
“Is it?” Katherine asked blushing slightly. “I never noticed.”   
“How about you play with me and my friends at recess?”  
“Are you sure?”  
“Yeah! They’re gonna love you!”  
“Thanks, Spot.”  
“No problem, Kath. Now, let’s go.” 

At age 13 Elizabeth and Joseph get divorced.   
“What do you mean?” Katherine had asked. She had just come home from her basketball practice and her parents were arguing in the kitchen.   
“It means that our marriage-“  
“I know what the word means I’m not an idiot. I meant why!”  
Joseph, shocked by his daughter’s tone, took a subconscious step back.   
“Things haven’t been well for a while. In fact, from my point of view, it seems inevitable.” Elizabeth’s voice was calm and even.   
Joe slams his hand on the counter in rage.   
“Excuse me?”  
Elizabeth’s face or stance didn’t change. “You heard me.”   
Having enough of her parents arguing Katherine pads her way to her room and shuts her door softly.   
Setting her basketball and school bags on the ground she tried to start on her homework.   
She’s in the middle of her science worksheet when there’s a knock on her door.   
“Come in.” She calls softly.   
Elizabeth’s head pops into sight, then the rest of her.   
“I’m sorry you had to see that, love.”  
Katherine shrugs, not even looking up from her homework.   
“I want you to know that we’re doing this because we think it is best for everyone.”   
Katherine is silent for a few moments as the thoughts run races in her head.   
“What are you thinking, Kitty?”  
Katherine hesitates before answering in a voice barely above a whisper. “Is it something I did?”   
“What do you mean?”  
“Ever since I joined basketball I’ve been here less and my grades aren’t as good anymore! I promise I’ll try harder! I don’t want to let you down! You or dad. Please, don’t leave!”   
Katherine rushes forward to her mother, tears spilling down her face.   
“Oh, Kitty.” Her mother whispers. The fact that her daughters thinks she did anything wrong, let alone something so bad to make her parents split, shatters her heart.   
“You did nothing wrong. I swear it. Katherine Ella Pulitzer look at me.”   
Katherine looks at her mother’s face with shiny cheeks and a quivering lip.   
“I promise you, you will never, ever, let me down. I am so, so, so, proud of you. Don’t you ever think otherwise. Your father is extremely proud of you as well. None of this is your fault darling. None of it. Your dad and I have our own problems. And as long as you try your hardest, I don’t care about your grades.”   
“Are you going to leave like Jack’s dad?” Katherine asks in a quiet voice.   
Elizabeth sighed. Jack Kelly was one of Katherine’s best friend. He lived with his foster mother, a loquacious woman by the name of Medda Larkin. Katherine has told her that Jack’s father had left when he was 5, his mother dying a few years later. It took the longest time for him to warm up to the Pulitzers. Though he was still wary whoever he was around Joseph.   
“Katherine, sweetie, I promise you, that I will never leave your side.”   
Katherine smiles through her tears and hugged her mother close.   
“I love you mom.”  
“I love you too, Kitty.”  
After that Katherine Pulitzer became Katherine Plumber. 

15 years old and Katherine is having a rough time. How are you supposed to ask someone about something if you can’t even find the words? She thought to herself as she stared at her phone screen. Ever since Jack had come out as Bi she’s been questioning herself. She wanted to call Jack, but for some reason she couldn’t get herself to press the call button.   
The next day at school she pulls Race into the library during their study hall.   
“Woah Ace, what’s wrong?” Race sounded concerned.   
“How did you know you were pan?”  
Race looks shocked for a moment.   
“Well, uh- hm. I think I really started questioning it the first time I saw Sebastian Stan in Captain America.”  
“But how do you know for sure?”  
“To be honest, I don’t. I just feel comfortable with a label. You don’t have to have one. Henry and JoJo just settle for queer. Why’d you ask?”  
Race knew why she was asking, but he needed to hear her say it.   
“Uh- well, I was. Um. Okay so after Jack came out I started questioning things because I always knew I was different in a way, you know? Everyone else got crushes or wanted to marry specific people. But I...don’t? If that makes any sense.”   
Race was quite for a moment as he watched Kath pace.   
“Are you Ace?”  
“What?”  
“Asexual?”  
“What like a plant?”  
Race rolled his eyes but a smile still found a way onto his lips.   
“No, Ace. It’s kinda like the opposite of Pan. Asexuals don’t feel sexual attraction.”  
“But-“   
“But! They can still feel romantic attraction.”  
Katherine was silent for about 7 minutes, pacing and muttering to herself.   
Finally, she stopped and looked at Race. She took a deep breath before talking.   
“I think I’m Ace.”   
“Great! You’re nickname suits you even more now.”   
Later that day, after school, Katherine was standing in her mom’s kitchen, staring as Elizabeth made dinner.   
“Are you going to stand there like you’re at your first audition or come in and tell me what’s wrong?” She asked without even looking up from her cutting board.   
“I- uh. I talked to Race today.”  
“What about?”   
“Did you know that he’s pansexual?”  
The repetitive chop chop chop of her mother’s knife didn’t slow.   
“Are you allowed to tell me that?”  
“Are you asking if he’s out?”   
Her mother’s head dipped forward in a nod.   
“Yeah, he is. That’s why I talked to him.”  
Elizabeth waited for her daughter to continue. She slid the mushrooms into the pot and gave Katherine her full attention.   
“I think...I might be...asexual?”  
Katherine’s mother nodded and smiled.   
“Okay.”  
“Okay?”  
“Yeah. Okay.”  
“Wha- that’s it?”  
“Would you like me to freak out?”  
“I mean- no. I just- I guess I was expecting questions or something.”  
“I don’t need to question the way you are. You’re my daughter; and nothing can ever change that. Unless you murder someone and fail to hide the body. Then I’m going to give you away to the Gypsies.”   
Katherine laughed and hugged her mother, happy that nothing between them will change.   
“I love you, mom!”  
“I love you too, Kitty.” 

16 year old Katherine is standing in the cemetery tears mixing with the cold rain pouring from the heavens.   
“Kitty-“ Joseph started, coming up behind her with a black umbrella.   
“You’re not allowed to call me that.” Katherine snapped. Her eyes never left the dark grey tombstone.   
“Katherine. Come inside.”   
“No. Just- just leave me alone.”   
“If you stay out here any longer you’ll get sick.”  
“I said leave!”   
“But-“   
“Joseph!” Another voice yelled.   
Both turned their head to see a nicely dressed woman with white hair and a stern expression.   
“Mother.” Joseph murmured.   
“Leave her alone. She’s just lost the most important person in her life.”   
With one final glance Joseph followed his mother back into the church.   
Katherine looked to the sky, letting out a sob.   
“You liar!” She screamed.   
“You said you’d never leave my side! You said you’d never leave!”   
Katherine sank to her knees as she sobbed. She clutched the silver necklace that previously belonged to her mother.   
A slight shadow appeared over her.   
“I- I thought I told you to- to leave me alone!” She choked out.   
“You didn’t tell me nothin’ Ace.”   
Katherine whirled around to find Jack standing behind her. She lept up and wrapped her arms around his middle.   
“Woah woah woah, slow down babe.”   
“She left. She left me.”   
Jack dropped his umbrella and pulled Katherine closer to him.   
“It’s okay,” he spoke softly into her ear, petting her hair. “You’ll be okay.”   
After all, he spoke from personal experience, didn’t he. 

17 year old Katherine is standing in her bedroom, staring at herself in the mirror.   
She was wearing a white ball gown with her hair curled and pinned up.   
Her mother’s silver necklace is in her hands. For some reason she can’t find the strength to put it on.   
“You look beautiful.”   
Kath looked up to see Jack in her doorway.   
“Thank you.” Her voice was quite. She couldn’t manage much more, anyway.   
“Everyone is downstairs when you’re ready.”  
“I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready.”   
“Don’t be so over dramatic, Ace. It’s the Winter Ball, not your wedding day.”   
Katherine was silent. She looked at Jack through the mirror.   
“Hey, I know it’s hard. It’s been-“  
“A year tomorrow.”  
“She’d want you to go, ya know?”   
Katherine took a deep breath and closer her eyes. She felt a hand on her shoulder, and for a moment let herself pretend it was her mother.   
She opened her eyes and donned a smile. Jack takes the necklace from her hands and clips it around her neck.   
“Let’s do this.”  
Walking down the grand staircase of the Pulitzer mansion made Katherine feel like a princess.   
At the bottom of the steps her rag tag group of friends was scattered in various stages of formal wear.   
Spot Conlon was the first to notice her.   
“Damn Plumber!” He whistled loudly.   
All eyes turned to see Katherine in all her princess like state.   
Compliments flew from every direction as she made her way to the ground floor.   
“Alright, alright,” she laughed.   
“You all look amazing!” Mrs. Jacobs said from her place with the other parents.   
“Gather ‘round everyone!” Miss Medda called everyone to stand in front of the Christmas tree for a group picture.   
“Hey, Katherine?” Les asked pulling her to the side.   
“Yeah, Les?”   
“I, uh- I was wondering why you guys celebrate Christmas if you’re Jewish?” Les spoke slowly, like he was afraid of her answer. Being a freshman, Les was one of the youngest of the group, also David and Sarah’s younger brother.   
“It’s okay to ask.” Katherine started. “It means you’re willing to learn. I celebrate Hanukkah and Christmas because my mom was Jewish, but my dad is Christian. When they got married they compromised and celebrated both.”  
Les’ face lit up, “that’s so cool!”   
That night could be described as one of the best of Katherine’s life.   
She won Winter Queen, with Sarah, one of her best friends, winning Princess.   
As the student council president placed the plastic crown on her head she could hear Jack scream “THAT'S MY BEST FRIEND!” Followed by what sounded like a smack.   
Race, who won Winter King, had taken her hand for the dance. Off to their right Jack and Sarah, the prince and princess, were dancing as well.   
“I’m proud of you, ya know.” Race stated, stealing her attention away from her feet.   
“Why?”   
“You’ve come a long way, Plumber. In fact, I remember when we first met. Freshman year, if my memory serves me correctly. AP US History. I asked you what the capital of New York was and you threw a pencil at me.”   
Katherine laughed before scrambling to defend herself. “I’d expect you to know the capital of your home state!”  
“I was fresh off the boat from Italy! What’d you expect?”  
Katherine giggled and set her head on Race’s chest.  
“I’m glad you’re my best friend.” She said quietly.   
“What about Jack? Or Sarah?”  
“I’m allowed to have more than one best friend asshat!”  
Race chuckled and squeezed her hand lightly.   
“I know. I’m glad you’re my best friend too. Though you still make fun of me.”   
“Who doesn’t.”   
It was quiet for a moment before;   
“It’s Albany, by the way.” 

At age 18 Katherine was walking across a stage to receive her diploma. Then, she was standing at the podium, looking at the people she spent the early years of her life with.   
She looked at her notecards, filled with a formal speech her father suggested she write. With a smile she threw the cards in the air.   
“Okay. So I had this whole grand speech planned out. But, you know what? It doesn’t matter. What matters is the people I’m looking at. Right here. Right now.  
“I grew up in this school system. With these kids. And I am telling the truth when I say they taught me more than any teacher or textbook did. No offense to the staff.”  
The crowd of thousands started to laugh, and Kath felt more at ease.   
“Do you guys remember the Chili incident of freshman year? The school was trying to get people to buy the, probably, inedible chili so they sent out a school wide email. What they forgot was that we are teenagers, and when given the chance will make fun of everything.”  
Katherine could see the football players cracking up, and the bowling team high fiving each other.   
“Or during our sophomore year musical. We did the Beauty and the Beast. One of the techies lost Gaston’s goose and it ended up falling from the cat walk in the middle of curtain call. Landing right on top of Belle’s head!”   
The theater kids looked to be crying from laughter at the memory.   
“Oh! Our junior year! When the baseball team made states!”  
A cheer from the baseball players.   
“But, the bus driver got lost and ended up in Pennsylvania instead of Upstate New York? And last but not least. This year. Senior year.”  
The students started cheering before she could start the story.   
“When we all met up at the city library to plan our senior prank. But things got a little mixed up. One group released four pigs, labeled 1, 2, 3, and 5, around the school. One group did a flash mob while another filled all the sinks and toilets with Orbeez! And the last group color bombed everyone!”   
The crowd stands up cheering as loud as they could.   
“Along this wild ride, I’ve learned how to stay up for 4 days straight running on nothing but coffee and redbull. How to distract a teacher for an entire class period. And how to sleep on any surface. But most importantly; I’ve learned what it’s like to be apart of such a big, and loving family. I love each and every one of you! Except the Delancey’s! You can go fuck yourselves!”  
Yeah, the crowd loved her speech. Yeah, she might have been scolded for saying the F word. But she will never, not once in her life, regret it. 

Now, age 20. Katherine Plumber is sitting on the couch of Spot Conlon and Racetrack Higgins’ apartment. The Lion King is playing on the tv and her friends are scattered around the room. Jack, Davey, Crutchie, and Finch are sprawled across one couch. While Sarah, Smalls, Buttons, Hot Shot, JoJo, and herself took the other.   
Romeo, Specs, Albert, Elmer, Henry, Blink, and Mush we’re laying on the ground in various stages of sleep. And Spot and Race were cuddled up in the arm chair together, both watching the movie intensely.   
“Penny for your thoughts?” Sarah asks from next to her.   
Katherine looks over with a soft smile. “I’m just thinking about how much I love everyone in this room. Even though someone,” she threw a look at Jack, “ate the last brownie.”   
“You’re a sap, ya know that?”  
Katherine retrieves the blanket from the back cushions of the couch and lays it across both their laps.   
“Definitely. But there’s nothing wrong with that.”  
“No, I guess not. But I swear if you start crying because you’re being sentimental I’m going to leave.”  
Katherine laughs and pulls the blanket up to her chin.   
“Don’t you worry, no tears today.”

**Author's Note:**

> Okay! So little contest!   
> Two things Katherine mentioned in her Valadictorian speech happened to me! Who can guess which ones? 
> 
> This was really fun to write!   
> I also did a canon era Race one if anyone is interested? 
> 
> Anywho! Hope you enjoyed! 
> 
> (While writing/posting this I’m waiting for my dance auditions for my schools spring musical! Wish me luck!)


End file.
